|
Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Cruise Planners vs Travel Leaders including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.
Start-Up Costs and Fees |
||
Investment | $2,295 - $23,665 | $2,270 - $17,910 |
Franchise Fee | $695 - $10,995 | $0 - $2,500 |
Royalty Fee | 1% - 3% | $474-995/mo. |
Advertising Fee | - | - |
Year Founded | 1994 | 1888 |
Year Franchised | 1999 | 1984 |
Term Of Agreement | 3 years | 5 years |
Term Of Agreement | 3 years | 5 years |
Renewal Fee | - | $1K |
Business Experience Requirements |
||
Experience | - | - |
Financing Options |
||
In-House/3rd Party | In-House/3rd Party | |
Franchise Fees | No/Yes | Yes/No |
Start-up Costs | No/No | No/No |
Equipment | No/No | No/No |
Inventory | No/No | No/No |
Receivables | No/No | No/No |
Payroll | No/No | No/No |
Training & Support |
||
Training | On-The-Job Training: Ongoing Classroom Training: 58.5 hours Additional Training: Available | - |
Support | Purchasing Co-ops Newsletter Meetings/Conventions Toll-Free Line Grand Opening Online Support Field Operations Proprietary Software Franchisee Intranet Platform | Newsletter, Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Internet, Field operations/evaluations |
Marketing | Co-op Advertising Ad Templates National Media Regional Advertising Social media SEO Website development Email marketing | Co-op advertising, Ad slicks, National media, Regional advertising |
Operations |
Franchise can be run from home. Absentee Ownership Allowed Number of Employees Required to Run: 1 - 2 |
22% of all franchisees own more than one unit
Absentee ownership of franchise is NOT allowed. |
Expansion Plans |
||
US Expansion | Yes | - |
Canada Expansion | No | No |
International Expansion | No | No |
Since 1994, agents for Coral Springs, Florida-based Cruise Planners/American Express Travel Service have been connecting business and leisure travelers with the ideal cruise. Franchisees work from their homes, selling cruises full or part time.
In 1872, Georges Nagelmackers began his company, Wagons-Lits, to install sleeping compartments in European trains. A few years later, he created the Orient Express. In 1888, Ward G. Foster founded Ask Mr. Foster, a travel agency based in St. Augustine, Florida.
Each company expanded'Wagonlit throughout Europe and Africa, Ask Mr. Foster across the United States and Europe. Carlson Companies Inc. purchased Ask Mr. Foster in 1979; the company changed its name to Carlson Travel Network in 1990. Carlson Travel Network and Wagonlit Travel merged in 1997, forming Carlson Wagonlit Travel. The new company serves travelers in more than 140 countries.